There are athletes. And then there are athletes who redefine what’s possible.
This April at the legendary Sea Otter Classic, adaptive downhill racer Rebecca Johnston will roll into the start gate for her official Sea Otter debut — and trust us, MTB Girls, this is a moment you’re going to want to witness.
Because Rebecca’s path to that start line? It’s anything but ordinary.
From Volleyball Dreams to a Life-Changing Diagnosis
Rebecca grew up competitive. Born in Redlands, California, she started playing club volleyball at just nine years old , jumping onto a 12’s team as a tiny powerhouse with big goals. College volleyball was the dream.
She achieved it.
But during her freshman year at Whitman College, everything changed. A cancer diagnosis forced her to stop playing. Eventually, she elected to amputate her leg above the knee, a decision that would redirect her life in ways she couldn’t yet imagine.
Instead of retreating, Rebecca leaned in.
She entered the world of adaptive sports through snowboarding. Self-taught at first, then training seriously, she moved to Salt Lake City and joined a World Cup para snowboard team. She earned international results. She trained for the Olympic circuit.
And through it all, she learned something powerful:
Movement isn’t optional. It’s identity.
The Mountain Bike That Changed Everything
Her snowboard coach pushed mountain biking as cross-training — speed, terrain management, reflex development. It made sense. Border cross athletes need lightning-fast reactions.
There was just one problem.
Mountain bikes, especially adaptive-friendly e-bikes are hella expensive.
Then something extraordinary happened.
At Ski Spectacular in Colorado, hosted by Move United, Rebecca applied for an adaptive sports grant. She was surprised with a brand-new Specialized Turbo Levo.
Her first mountain bike.
She hadn’t pedaled since before cancer treatment.
She had never ridden as an amputee.
She was terrified.
And she still said yes.
Independence Day at Whistler
Rebecca’s very first real mountain bike ride?
July 4, 2025.
At Whistler Bike Park.
Let that sink in.
Green trails. Flow lines. Chairlift laps.
She followed her partner Brendan (a mountain bike mechanic from Australia) for the first few runs. She tipped over once. She entered berms too low. She held the bars too tight.
But the speed?
She wasn’t afraid of it.
Speed felt familiar. Snowboarding had prepared her for that.
What surprised her most was how natural it felt, and how free.
Riding With One Knee. And a Whole Lot of Grit
Rebecca rides with an above-the-knee prosthetic. On the prosthetic side, she clips in to keep her leg secure. Her setup includes a prosthetic knee originally designed for skiing, complete with shock absorption and rubber tendon systems that mimic quad engagement.
She cannot stand and pedal.
She must adjust transitions differently.
She must manage pressure carefully so her rear foot never slips.
If her real foot comes off the pedal? She crashes.
And yet, she says something extraordinary:
“I don’t feel as disabled mountain biking as I do snowboarding.”
Why?
Because the bike becomes the great equalizer.
Mountain biking is holistic. Upper body. Core. Flow. Momentum. The machine does not diminish her — it expands her.
Coaching, Community & the Climb to Sea Otter
After Whistler, Rebecca invested in a private lesson with Becca Rottenberg of Brave Endeavors in Hood River. She learned braking technique. Berm entry. Body position. Fundamentals.
From there, she rode everywhere she could:
- Post Canyon (her backyard playground)
- Mount Bachelor
- Timberline
- Black Rock
- The Oregon Coast
She is learning. Rapidly.
Now 26, Rebecca is stepping into a new chapter — one with less pressure than her para snowboard journey and more pure joy.
2026: A Reset & A Purple Rocket Ship
This winter was supposed to be her Paralympic qualification season. Instead, a knee injury sidelined her. Rehab. PT. Cortisone injections. Patience.
But sometimes setbacks create space.
And that space? It’s filling with dirt.
Rebecca is now supported by Ari Bikes and will be racing Sea Otter on a purple Ari eMTB, her favorite color.
She’s also a Smith ambassador, so expect full-face protection dialed in and ready to send.
She’ll be racing in the adaptive downhill category, which currently includes athletes on a range of adaptive bikes, from prosthetic riders to seated Bowhead bikes.
And yes , we’re working on getting her a purple jersey worthy of this moment.
What She’s Most Excited For
“I’m excited to race without pressure,” she says.
“To be new at something again.”
That right there is why we love her.
Rebecca isn’t showing up at Sea Otter to prove something to the world.
She’s showing up to grow.
To learn.
To surprise herself.
And to open the door wider for other women amputee riders who might be watching from the sidelines wondering if there’s space for them in mountain biking.
There is.
MTB Girls. Let’s Show Up
Sea Otter is massive. Loud. Electric. Historic.
But this year, in the adaptive downhill start gate, there will be a 26-year-old woman who lost her leg to cancer… who learned to snowboard at a world level… who rode her first mountain bike at Whistler less than a year ago… and who refuses to live small.
And that’s the kind of debut we rally behind.
We’ll be there covering her race live.
We’ll be there capturing the highs, the nerves, the send.
And in May, we’ll bring you the full race recap.
For now?
Mark your calendars.
Because Rebecca Johnston’s Sea Otter debut isn’t just a race.
It’s just the beginning.
